changing British attitudes to the Boer War

Question 1

what were the reasons for an increase in the attention to the Boer Wars?

Answer 1

many families had members serving in the war

there was so much newspaper coverage

reporting of news became much quicker thanks to the telephone and telegraph

Question 2

which battle caught the most public attention?

Answer 2

Spion Kop

Question 3

how was the Battle of Spion Kop portrayed in the media?

Answer 3

photography
critical newspapers

Question 4

photography

Answer 4

photographs of dead British soldiers on the hill were brought home and appeared in the newspapers

these were real action shots, unlike Fenton’s photos in Crimea
showed the shocking realities of the war

Question 5

critical newspapers

Answer 5

most newspapers launched an attack on Buller and his strategy as well as the government for not accepting help from the colonies

Question 6

how did the British change their approach after the failure of Black Week?

Answer 6

a recruitment drive for young men was launched throughout the Empire

deficiencies in mounted infantry were addressed with more horsemen recruited as cavalry

better intelligence and recon introduced —> Fredrick Burnham

over-reliance on the railways as a weakness was solved by using more armoured trains

Question 7

what did the press label Buller?

Answer 7

Sir Reverse

Question 8

how was the arrival of Roberts and Kitchener portrayed in the news?

Answer 8

was massively welcomed by the press
both portrayed already by the press as heroes of the British Empire with both having incredible success in colonial wars previously

Question 9

which soon to be politician was famous for his first-hand journalism during the Boer War?

Answer 9

Winston Churchill

Question 10

which newspaper did Churchill work for?

Answer 10

The Morning Post

Question 11

what happened to Churchill during the Boer War?

Answer 11

he helped rescue an ambushed armoured train
he was captured by the Boers- the escaped
was one of the first Brits to enter Ladysmith and Pretoria

Question 12

what happened to Churchill after the war?

Answer 12

he was elected as MP at Oldham in 1900

Question 13

why was the 1900 election labelled as a Khaki election?

Answer 13

it was heavily influenced by war in SA

Question 14

what were Churchill’s reports like?

Answer 14

they backed the war- he was a staunch imperialist
they were generally supportive of the BA but did outline certain deficiencies in the BA

Question 15

what impact did Churchill’s reports have on the public?

Answer 15

they were very interesting reads which allowed readers to feel close to the action

similar to the work of William H Russell as Churchill was at the frontlines as a journalist

Question 16

what had the successes at Mafeking and Kimberley prompted in Britain?

Answer 16

street parties and jubilation
mood became optimistic

shows how military victory had a massive impact on public opinion

Question 17

how did the war have an impact on popular culture?

Answer 17

songs became more patriotic and pro-army

literature took a more imperialistic and pro-war approach

Question 18

examples of Boer War songs?

Answer 18

Tararaboomdeeay
Goodbye Dolly Gray

Question 19

what was the public opinion on the Boers?

Answer 19

there was a feeling of respect for the determined ‘farmers’ fighting the British

however after Black Week, opinions massively changed towards aggression

Question 20

which newspapers took a strong pro-war stance?

Answer 20

The Daily Mail
The Daily Express

Question 21

when was the Daily Mail founded?

Answer 21

1896

Question 22

what views did the Daily Mail and Daily Express express? ;)

Answer 22

it was very imperialistic and ensure stories about the Empire took the front page

JINGOISTIC

Question 23

what happened to the editor of the Daily Chronicle in 1899?

Answer 23

was sacked by the owner because he refused to take a more pro-war stance

Question 24

as the war progressed how did newspaper content change?

Answer 24

became less supportive of the war

largely reflective of the British public

Question 25

what questions did the newspapers ask about the war?

Answer 25

why were the sieges not lifted quick enough?
why could the BA not defeat the weaker Boers?
why were there shortages in supplies?
why were concentration camps being used?

Question 26

how did the army command use the newspapers?

Answer 26

they wrote articles and letter-columns to answer any critics

Question 27

when was the Stop the War Committee founded and by who?

Answer 27

Stead in 1899

Question 28

what did the Stop the War Committee attack?

Answer 28

the use of concentration camps to ‘murder’ the Boer population by halving their food rations

they believed that by doing this, the British were trying to put pressure on Boer fighters to surrender

Question 29

what impact did the Stop the War Committee have on public opinion?

Answer 29

there was a feeling of unease with regards to the use of concentration camps and many Britons felt empathy for Boer families

Question 30

why was the press important in the 1900 Khaki election?

Answer 30

many newspapers were supportive of government policy and backed Salisbury in the election

Question 31

what % of the vote did Salisbury win?

Answer 31

51%

Question 32

when was there an anti-war rally in London led by women?

Answer 32

June 1900
attended by Emily Hobhouse

Question 33

what did Hobhouse set up in September 1900?

Answer 33

South African Women and Children Distress Fund

Question 34

when did Hobhouse leave for SA?

Answer 34

7 December 1900

Question 35

who supported Hobhouse’s trip to SA?

Answer 35

Alfred Milner
the British High Commissioner in SA

he provided her with a railway wagon

Question 36

what had Hobhouse found in a camp in Bloemfontein?

Answer 36

lack of food
insanitary conditions
overcrowding

Question 37

lack of food

Answer 37

women and children who had men fighting against the British were refused any meat

no vegetables
no milk

children were extremely malnourished

Question 38

insanitary conditions

Answer 38

no toilets
no clean water
diseases easily spread

Question 39

which diseases were most prevalent in the camps?

Answer 39

measles
typhoid
diarrhoea
dysentry

Question 40

did authorities listen to her pleas of help?

Answer 40

nope they ignored her

Question 41

when did Hobhouse submit her report to the British government?

Answer 41

June 1901

Question 42

which political group followed up on Hobhouse’s report?

Answer 42

the Liberals

Question 43

when was the Fawcett Commission sent to SA?

Answer 43

August 1901

Question 44

who led the all women Fawcett Commission?

Answer 44

Millicent Fawcett
a suffragist

Question 45

what was the public reaction to the findings of the Fawcett Commission?

Answer 45

huge outrage at the conditions of the camps

Britons were shocked and demanded action

Britons believed that the Empire was a force for good so were angry at what was happening to the Boer families

Question 46

what was the government reaction to the Fawcett Commission?

Answer 46

they took away responsibility of the camps and put into civillian administration

Question 47

what did the death rate in the camps fall to by 1902?

Answer 47

2%

Question 48

how did the Boer War split public opinion?

Answer 48

many questioned the morality of having an Empire, led to increased Liberal and Socialists support
these groups believed that British problems at home could be fixed with mass money spent on maintaining Britain’s vast empire

however many still believed in Empire and Britain’s superiority over the rest of the worldf